SCOMBER. 297 



migration, but on other controverted points among 

 naturalists, will in some measure settle the point 

 in question. 



Jit Sea passage from Cadiz to Boston, Jan. 1832. 

 DR SMITH 



Dear Sir, Believing that any information, however hum- 

 ble or limited, respecting the habits and peculiarities of fish- 

 es, will, in consequence of your present occupation, possess 

 some interest for you, and also mindful of the request you 

 made last summer, I take the liberty of sending the few obser- 

 vations I have been able to make this voyage. I regret that 

 owing to the hurry of preparing for sea, I omitted informing 

 you according to promise of the time of my sailing, in order 

 to be furnished with large bottles, &c. for the preservation of 

 specimens since, though I have taken a great number of 

 fishes, the greater part have unluckily been lost for want of 

 means of preservation. 



I have, however, saved the following, two species of remo- 

 rse ; one of the pipe or file fish ; a fine specimen of the mo- 

 noceros, one of the largest I ever saw; and a very singular 

 worm. Of the remorae, the common or black one was taken 

 from a large shark we -caught, to which it adhered for 

 some time after he was on deck. The striped one was attach- 

 ed to the monoceros, and is, I think, the male, as the black 

 one is the female, of the species ; the stripes, which the liquor 

 has turned nearly white, were then of a brilliant yellow, the 

 body of an uniform dark ash color. At the same time there 

 was one adhering to the heel of the rudder, of similar appear- 

 ance, but near five feet in length ; he remained there several 

 days, although the vessel was sailing at the rate of six to sev- 

 en miles the whole time ; but all attempts to capture him 

 proved fruitless. 



The pipe fish appears to be a variety of the species brought 

 you last summer, the most remarkable circumstance relating 



